Sin and Salvation; August 10, 2019

Posted on August 13, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 57:6 They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.

I can imagine David’s delight at being able to write this. There is something deeply satisfying about the tricks of evil people rebounding to their destruction. When that happens we like to pretend that “we knew it all along,” but David is honest enough to say that things really got to him before they turned around. We have a lot of trouble really trusting God when He says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” (Deuteronomy 32:35) Paul reminds us of this in Romans 12:19, but we tend to feel it’s up to us and get all hopeless, or else we try to take things into our own hands and really make a mess of it all. We need to get it through our heads and hearts that nobody gets away with anything, period. The scary thing is, that applies to us, too! That’s why the cross and resurrection of Christ are such incredibly good news. However, they don’t sound like such good news to someone who doesn’t acknowledge their own sins and realize that they have earned hell. That’s a major reason evangelism is so tough in Japan, because it’s a shame culture rather than a sin culture. Children are told, “Don’t do that because people will laugh at you,” rather than, “Don’t do that because it’s wrong.” The word that is used for “sin” is generally synonymous with “crime,” so the general population has great difficulty seeing themselves as sinners. We all like to justify ourselves and feel we are in the right about everything, but true salvation comes when we let go of that and cast ourselves on God’s grace and mercy, knowing that Jesus died for our sins specifically, and not just in some general way. That’s why the Bible talks so much about humility: it is pride that keeps us from confessing our sins to God and receiving His forgiveness.

My massive encounter with God was all about pride. I had blinded myself to my own sin, just like the Bible says: “For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.” (Psalm 36:2) God loved me enough to break through that pride, and I couldn’t be more grateful. However, He has given me the commission to communicate the Gospel to the Japanese, and as I said, they don’t have a clear grasp of what sin is all about. That’s why American evangelistic techniques simply don’t work. They can seem to be great at first, until you discover that people are agreeing with you simply to be agreeable, and not because of any fundamental change in their heart. I am not to give up, but rather keep speaking the truth in love, allowing the Holy Spirit to use me to lay the foundation for genuine repentance and salvation. I know I’m not up to the task, but the Holy Spirit is, and I am to rejoice in that.

Father, thank You for allowing me to be a disciple, and for the disciples You have raised up and are raising up through me. I pray that we would continue to grow as Your children, Your representatives, so that this nation may see You through us and repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Speaking Righteousness; August 9, 2019

Posted on August 13, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 52:3 You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.

Here’s another verse I’m sure I’ve never written on before! We don’t really like reading the Bible’s descriptions of evil people, but they too can be very instructive. When we encounter people who fit those descriptions, we know to steer clear of them as much as possible. The preface to this Psalm indicates exactly who it is talking about. The details of that story are found in 1 Samuel 21 and 22, and it is a nasty story indeed. The thing is, we are marked by what we love, just as we will spend eternity with the one we serve. Hebrews 1:9 quotes Psalm 45:7 as referring to Jesus, saying, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” That’s the exact reverse of this description of Doeg the Edomite. I don’t think there’s any question which we should emulate! It’s interesting that the Japanese for this verse says, “speaking righteousness,” rather than “speaking the truth.” There is a difference between simply speaking fact and speaking righteousness. Righteousness admonishes and builds up, going beyond simply giving information. We have all encountered people who seemed to delight in cutting other people down with their words. That is not speaking righteousness, even if the words happen to be true! I think this is closely related to something Jesus said that concerns me personally: “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) Ouch! We need to examine our hearts and our words to see what we love, and if the Holy Spirit says so, repent.

I had no idea where this was going when I started writing, but now I know. I have always been a person of words, and I have used words as weapons more times than I could count. Sometimes my words have hurt people without my intending it, but sometimes it has been intentional. Often I speak more than necessary, delighting in the sound of my own voice. That too is not speaking righteousness. I need to be an instrument of blessing, using the tools God has given me to do His work and nothing less. It was recognized early on that I had a gift for words, but what I do with that gift is what matters. I will reflect what and whom I love, so my focus needs to be on loving Jesus more and more. His every word was righteousness, and that needs to be my goal as well.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the day yesterday, and all You enabled us to do in it. Thank You for Your plans for today. I pray that I would recognize Your plans and follow them, not drawing back for any reason, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Redemption; August 8, 2019

Posted on August 9, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 51:10-11 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 51 is unique in several ways. In the first place it is the public record of a very horrendous sin, as detailed in 2 Samuel 11. It is highly unusual in the literature of the time to find negative things recorded about famous leaders. (Some things recorded seem horrible to us, but to them they were boasting.) On top of that, this is the personal repentance of the guilty party, which he himself allowed to be included in the public record. That takes both courage and humility. David had courage from a young age, but humility grew over the years. Even from his youth he realized that it was God who enabled him to overcome ferocious enemies, but humility was not always in evidence. Here he is brought down to zero, and acknowledges that God alone is holy and pure. From that position he makes this request. Recognizing that his heart is not pure, he asks God to make a new one for him. He remembers, accurately enough, that in the past his spirit had been pretty unshakable, so he asks God to renew that since he is certainly shaken as he writes. He then makes his most fundamental request, to be allowed fellowship with God by the Holy Spirit. Having written so many anointed Psalms, it is clear that David was quite familiar with the Holy Spirit, and knew what it was to just rest in God’s presence. That was something he certainly didn’t want to lose. This Psalm teaches us a lot about who David was, and how we also need to repent when the Holy Spirit shines light on our sins.

My life-shaking moment of repentance wasn’t over adultery and murder, but it was no less life-changing. I have gone back to it time and time again in my mind and heart, recognizing my ability to deceive myself and seeking God’s guidance and protection to keep me from that. As I deal with others as a pastor, no sin really shocks me, though it does sadden me. I realize that God’s grace is not only big enough for me, it’s big enough for them, too. I seek to help people understand that God is stronger than their weakness, so He can cleanse and use them whatever they have done with themselves up to this point. God can indeed create a pure heart where there was none before! This is in no way to excuse sin or to allow people to wallow in it. Paul dealt with that lie in Romans 6:1-4. I am to call a spade a spade and not run from confrontation, but I must do so in love, knowing to the depths of my being that I am as much in need of the grace of God as anyone.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Every last one of us is a story of redemption, of Your taking someone who had no right to live and making them alive through Your Son. May I be an effective carrier of that glorious Gospel to more and more people, for a lasting harvest in Your kingdom and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Jerusalem; August 7, 2019

Posted on August 9, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 48:8 As we have heard,
so have we seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure for ever.

The first part of this Psalm has been pleasantly set to music, and the whole thing is a meditation on Jerusalem, in particular its relationship to God. Back when it was written, Jerusalem and the temple within it was almost a substitute for God Himself, it was such a strong symbol. However, that unintentional idolatry was destroyed when the Babylonians destroyed both the city walls and the temple itself. The walls and the temple were rebuilt in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, and then the temple was again rebuilt by Herod, who was an evil man and wasn’t even Jewish. By that time the association of the temple with God Himself was so weakened that the Court of the Gentiles was used as a bustling market, and Jesus expressed God’s feelings about that. (Luke 19:45-46, John 2:13-17) After that, in AD 70, the Romans again destroyed the temple. I think it is significant that the famous “Wailing Wall” is part of the temple of Solomon, rather than either of the later temples. Right now, of course, the Temple Mount itself is occupied by a mosque, but continuing archaeology in the area around it confirms the Biblical and historical account to a remarkable degree. Jerusalem continues to have massive symbolism, as the New Testament, and especially Revelation, testifies. That said, we must never descend into the idolatry of conflating the city with God, or even the purposes of God. The city is certainly involved in those purposes, yes, but we are never to place the city above God Himself, as some seem in danger of doing.

I have never been to geographic Israel, though I have been part of spiritual Israel for many years. I would dearly love to go, but the Lord hasn’t opened the way for that yet. At the very least, I know I will be in the New Jerusalem spoken of in Revelation. I have long taken pride at having been born in 1948, the same year as the modern nation of Israel, and it was an unexpected joy and honor to be adopted by the Messianic fellowship when I was in seminary. It floored them that I knew some Hebrew folk songs better than they did! I do believe in and pray for a massive ingathering of Jews before the Lord’s return, and in no way do I think the Church has somehow “replaced” Israel in God’s plan. However, I don’t think God loves Gentiles less than He loves Jews, and my particular calling is to the Japanese people. I am to continue to strive to bring as many of them as possible with me to the Heavenly Jerusalem, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me flow with Your Spirit on Your schedule, whatever that means. I would love to visit geographic Israel, but I leave that in Your hands. Thank You for my place in Your kingdom that exceeds all geographic boundaries. May I be Your ambassador to all I encounter, for Your glory. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Universal Love; August 6, 2019

Posted on August 8, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 47:1-2 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
How awesome is the Lord Most High,
the great King over all the earth!

From beginning to end, this Psalm proclaims that it’s not just Israel that belongs to God, even though verses three and four mention the special treatment Israel has received. Actually the whole Bible proclaims this, from Genesis 1:1 on. From Genesis 12 we have the story of Abraham, but a careful reading makes it clear that Abraham and his descendants were to be God’s messengers to the whole world, not just some “Club Med” that delighted in being better than everybody else. God’s universal love was forgotten by Israel throughout its history, and it is forgotten by many in the Church today. God’s choice of Israel was in no way negated by the Gospel, but there are sadly some who use false “Replacement Theology” to justify antisemitism. As John so rightly points out, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:20-21) And we’ve got to realize that our “brother” may not look like us or talk like us. Anyone who does not have a heart for the nations does not have a heart for God.

Raised in a missionary family, this has been ingrained in me from birth. As a Caucasian in Japan, I have been on the receiving end of discrimination, and at the same time I have seen plenty of Americans – even missionaries – who thought they were “better” than the Japanese. I have learned that if you think God’s love for someone else in any way diminishes His love for you, or that His love for you in any way keeps Him from loving others, you have the wrong god. I have learned that our ability to receive God’s love and all its benefits is governed by the obedience that comes from faith, so that’s why I have dedicated myself to give the opportunity for faith to as many people as possible. It is heartbreaking to see people choose things that shut them off from God. I need to remember that it is just as heartbreaking for God, and offer myself as His instrument to correct that situation for as many people as possible.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am continually amazed at our human capacity to be nearsighted and self-centered. Help me have Your heart, so that as many as will may be delivered from the lies of the enemy, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Tools; August 5, 2019

Posted on August 7, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 44:6-7 I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.

Weapons, or any tools, for that matter, are all well and good, but they aren’t the final answer. We have great trouble grasping that at times. We think, “If only I had such-and-such,” when the fundamental problem is something else entirely. I’m reminded of the story of a photographer who was showing some of his pictures to a friend’s family. The friend’s mother said, “What beautiful pictures! You must have a very good camera.” The photographer bit his tongue, but after supper he said, “What delicious food! You must have very good pots and pans.” Tools are necessary, but they aren’t the essence. That is all the more true, and all the easier to overlook, when it comes to serving God. We think, “If I only had the gift of [whatever], I could really serve God.” What God is looking for is a heart that says, “Use me however You like, and equip me for the task.” Just as it is foolish to go into battle without weapons, it is wise to evaluate what gifts we have before launching into a project. However, if God says to do it, He will provide whatever is necessary along the way. Moses is an excellent example here. He apparently had a speech impediment, (Exodus 4:10) but God chose him partly for that very reason. (Exodus 4:11-12) He evidently had very little administrative ability, but God used his father-in-law to teach him. (Exodus 18:13-26) The important thing that God was looking for was total commitment and dependence. The minute we start thinking “I’ve got this,” we’re in trouble. That’s not at all to say that we aren’t to recognize the gifts God has given us, but it is to say that we must remember the One who gave them to us, and not rely on the gifts themselves.

This has been something of the story of my life. God has gifted me in many ways, but I have tended to rely on the gifts, and thus myself, instead of on God. Conversely, I have neglected the gifts and failed to ask God how He wanted me to use them. On top of that, the seminary I attended sought to equip me for ministry with various tools, but I found that virtually none of them were culturally appropriate for ministry in Japan, and they were thus ineffective. My focus needs to be on my Lord and the tasks He has assigned to me, as a good steward of the tools He has already given me, knowing that He will supply anything I lack, either in ability or in resources, for whatever it is He has for me to do. As a geek, I have a natural focus on physical tools, but they are at best secondary, if they even make it that far. I need to recognize that weakness in me and choose to focus on my Lord, since he can rout an army with a donkey’s jawbone! (Judges 15:15) Tools and gifts are nice, but they must not be my focus.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for all You did in the day yesterday. Thank You for all that You are going to do in this week ahead before my photo show. Help me remember that even the show itself is no more than a tool to share You with those around me. Help me be faithful and diligent in each thing You have for me to do, so that Your will may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Hope; August 4, 2019

Posted on August 7, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

This refrain, repeated from verse 5 and repeated again in verse 5 of the next Psalm (which is probably just part of this one) is justly famous. We laugh at the picture of someone talking to their own soul, but psychologists tell us it’s something we all do, and rightly so. We often need a good talking to, and who better to do it than ourselves? Sometimes we need the encouragement of knowing another human being understands and cares about us, but most of the time we know what’s right, we simply don’t have things straight in our own heart and mind to do it. That’s one of the foundations of the Coaching I’ve been studying. Rather than telling someone what they need to do, you help them bring the answer out of their own heart and mind, and then encourage them to follow through. The Psalmist here seems to be struggling with depression, which virtually everyone alive does at times. The ultimate answer to depression is assurance of the love of God. That is a gift from Him, but receiving it requires our choice to release our doubts about Him. For someone who knows Jesus Christ as the risen Lord, that goes all the way to the assurance that physical death is far from the end, and that we will be able to delight in praising God for all eternity. Depression sometimes makes people suicidal, but this is the opposite of that. This is placing our hope in God whatever happens, on this earth or in eternity, and letting God be the arbiter of whatever that is.

I am as much in need of this as anyone. I have had various bouts with depression, and as a teenager referred to them as “pink-and-purple-polka-dotted-funks,” to emphasize that they were worse than a “blue funk.” In college, I had an honest suicide attempt, which the Lord very graciously rebuked me for before I could follow through. I can’t say I don’t feel down occasionally even now, but the truth of this verse has penetrated deeper and deeper into my being. Having received that grace myself, I regularly deal with people who haven’t yet appropriated it. That can be difficult! I have been accused multiple times of failing to appreciate the seriousness of someone’s situation, because I keep telling them to release it to Jesus. I’m not to stop speaking the truth in love, but I also need to be an effective coach to help people recognize the truth they already know. We have a recent success story in that area that has been very encouraging! I am not to receive depression because of my own situation, nor am I to receive depression because of the people I deal with. I must remember that God is far bigger than any situation, any failure, any weakness, and rest, relax, and rejoice in Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You indeed for the believer who has remembered that he is a believer! Thank You that Your plan, Your will, is always, good, acceptable, and perfect, (Romans 12:2) and indeed be anxious for nothing, as You have told me so many times. (Philippians 4:6, etc.) Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Word in our Hearts; August 3, 2019

Posted on August 5, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 40:8 “I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

This is another Psalm that I am torn when it comes to writing on just a little bit of it. There are several dearly loved verses in it, and verses 1-4 have been put to music numerous times. However, this verse resonates most with me at the moment. The Japanese renders the first line as, “I have made it a joy to do your will.” Sometimes we do God’s will grudgingly and sometimes pretty willingly, but how often do we genuinely rejoice to do it? The key to that is in the second half of the verse: having God’s commands in our heart. That idea is famously expressed in Psalm 119:11, and it’s still as true today as it was thousands of years ago. I am frequently reminded of my seminary-professor-grandfather’s question to his students: “How big is your Bible?” By that he didn’t mean printed matter, but what was actually in their heart, as David says here. This is far more than memorization. Memorization isn’t bad, and in situation like China where believers are often imprisoned without access to Bibles it is essential, but many of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day had huge chunks of the Old Testament memorized, yet had their hearts closed to the Holy Spirit. As Paul cautions us, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6) It is my observation that those who are most set on a particular translation of the Bible are least likely to be open to allowing the Spirit to bring the Word to life within them. Our joy is not to be in legalism (which is a pretty cold joy at best) but in the living Lord we serve.

Memorization has tended to be somewhat problematic for me because of my exposure to so many different translations in different languages. I have a lot of the Bible in my memory, but the Lord only knows how many translations are involved. It is interesting at times to enter a particular phrase into Bible search software and see which translation comes up! That has contributed to my personal focus on what the Holy Spirit is saying through the words on the page. I know very well that failing to listen obediently to the Holy Spirit is just fooling myself. (James 1:22) It is when I am obedient that God’s joy wells up within me, just as David says here.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your grace in allowing me to be addicted to the Bible, as one of the believers here once said. May I indeed allow it to dwell in me richly, as Paul said, (Colossians 3:16) accomplishing everything for which You send it, (Isaiah 55:10-11) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Wisdom of Age; August 2, 2019

Posted on August 4, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 37:25-26 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

I like this evidence that in his senior years, David spent time writing Psalms. This is another acrostic Psalm, starting each stanza with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, so it wasn’t an impulsive thing that he tossed off in a minute or two, but rather something he thought about and worked on over time. (Those who don’t write poetry often don’t understand that whereas sometimes poems flow quickly, longer ones, and especially those fitting a specific pattern, require more effort, going back and tweaking them.) The point is, after all he had been through, David wanted to take time to acknowledge the Lord. Studies have shown that age indeed brings wisdom (if that wisdom isn’t specifically rejected, as I have sometimes seen it to be). It isn’t that older people are smarter, it’s that they have more experience on which to base their decisions. Even when there is considerable memory loss, past experiences still impact present decisions, even when the person in question can’t remember those experiences. An older person who often reads the Bible isn’t “studying for their final exam,” as their grandchildren sometimes think, but rather acting on their lifetime of experience that God is faithful, and blesses those who draw near to Him. Ministry to seniors often isn’t easy, for a number of reasons, but if you’re paying attention, you can benefit from the wisdom that is there. After all, one of the Biblical titles for God is “the Ancient of Days!” (Daniel 7:9)

It’s interesting reading this and writing on it when I’ve passed 70 myself. People, even doctors, often say I’m younger than my calendar age, but I don’t want to miss out on what I’ve just written about. I’ve been through a lot, in one way and another, and I’ve certainly learned that God is faithful. I’ve had people admire my faith, when it’s just the outgrowth of seeing God come through, again and again and again. I’ve seen circumstances that seemed literally hopeless be turned around for great blessing. How can I not be optimistic? I have long loved and quoted Jesus’ famous statement just before He was scourged and crucified: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) To me, “taking heart” means looking forward to whatever good God is going to bring out of whatever is going on, no matter how horrible it might seem. (Romans 8:28) In all humility, I think that’s wise.

Father, thank You for Your incredible faithfulness. Thank You for the awareness that no human being is more than an infant before You. Help me receive all that You teach me, not to let it puff me up but rather so that I may be useful to You in blessing others, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Hubris; August 1, 2019

Posted on August 4, 2019 by jgarrott

Psalm 36:1-2 An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.
For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.

A difference in translation between the NIV and the Japanese really jumped out at me just now. Where the NIV starts with “An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked,” the Japanese says, “Sin speaks in the heart of the wicked.” That’s a very interesting twist, and has real truth to it. That said, it is the rest of the passage that speaks most to me, because it describes my past condition so accurately. It points up two things that are essential for living the full life of holiness and righteousness that God has planned for us: fear of God and humility. Sadly, both of those are in short supply in the world at large. They are also closely intertwined. Without a fear of God, a recognition that He is our Creator and everything good comes from Him, without exception, (James 1:17) we quickly devolve into a totally self-centered world view that makes our own pleasure and satisfaction the ultimate good. Reading Ecclesiastes will tell you the emptiness of that! Such a world view is the outgrowth of hubris, a pride that says we don’t need God, and that we are the final arbiter of everything. We describe such a person as a sociopath, but all of us have that tendency within us. True mental health requires an awareness that we have value and abilities, but we aren’t the be-all and end-all of everything. A sociopath has lost that awareness. To the degree we hang onto that awareness, there is hope for us.

As I am frequently reminded, I have loved God from childhood, but for a long period I didn’t really fear Him. I knew that He was watching everything I did, but that didn’t keep me from doing things I knew full well weren’t pleasing to Him. I descended into that special stupidity of those with a high IQ, thinking that I had all the right answers – which is how I just described a sociopath! It is no exaggeration to say that I could have become a monster. However, God, in His incredible mercy and grace, tapped me on the shoulder one night and, when I turned, He had a mirror for me to see my own soul. I literally fell to my knees and cried out, “My Lord and my God!” I don’t want to think of what my course could have been had He not done that. Now, I still struggle with pride at times, but I have a genuine desire to recognize my own sins so that I may repent of them. As a pastor I desire the same thing for others, but I’ve got to remember that it is the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment. (John 16:8-11) I am to speak the truth in love, not drawing back from confrontation when it is called for, but not trying to do the Holy Spirit’s work for Him. My massive repentance was triggered by someone’s personal testimony, but they didn’t know me personally at all and certainly weren’t “aiming for” me. I am to pray for people and trust God with them, so that He may do for them what He alone knows is necessary for their salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how I see Your grace playing out in the lives of those around me. May we all submit fully to you in full humility, so that You may do Your perfect will in and through us, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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